Does the 5th Amendment Protect Producers of Sexually Explicit Material From Self-Incrimination?

In in re: Grand Jury Subpoena Duces, 368 F. Supp. 2d 846 (W.D. Tenn. 2005), John Doe 1 & 2 (collectively, “Petitioners”) were served with a subpoena to testify before a Federal Grand Jury. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §2257, the subpoena required the Petitioners to bring with them any and all records pertaining to models used by their company Petitioners attempted to quash the subpoena by arguing that it violated their 5th Amendment right to be free from self-incrimination. The United States asserted that the 5th Amendment did not protect the Petitioners because the documents requested were records required to be kept pursuant to §2257.

(1) contains one or more visual depictions made after November 1, 1990 of actual sexually explicit conduct; and

(2) is produced in whole or in part with materials which have been mailed or shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, or is shipped or transported or is intended for shipment or transportation in interstate or foreign commerce;

shall create and maintain individually identifiable records pertaining to every performer portrayed in such a visual depiction.

In Shapiro v. United States, the Supreme Court held that the 5th Amendment privilege against self-incrimination does not apply to records that are required to be kept pursuant to a valid regulatory scheme. Shapiro v. United States, 335 U.S. 1, 17-18, 68 S.Ct. 1375, 92 L.Ed. 1787 (1948). However, the “required records” exception is construed narrowly in preservation of the 5th Amendment’s constitutional purpose. United States v. White, 322 U.S. 694, 699, 64 S.Ct. 1248, 88 L.Ed. 1542 (1944). The government’s request for information will be granted under the exception if it meets the following three requirements:

(1) the purpose of the government’s inquiry must be essentially regulatory, rather than criminal;

(2) the records must contain the type of information that the regulated party would ordinarily keep; and

(3) the records must have assumed public aspect which render them at least analogous to public documents.

The Supreme Court explained that §2257 targets a specific group of people. Specifically, it targets producers of media depicting sexually explicit conduct that utilizes performers who either are, or appear to be, minors. Additionally, the Court noted that although the record keeping requirement applies to “all producers of media depicting sexually explicit conduct,” it is not necessarily regulatory. The requirement does not foreclose the possibility that it targets a select group inherently suspect of criminal activities. Further, the production and distribution of child pornography is inherently illegal.

The Supreme Court concluded that §2257 is not regulatory in nature. This is because it targets a highly selective group that is inherently suspect of criminal activities, and is a part of a criminal enforcement scheme that seeks eradication of child pornography. Accordingly, the Supreme Court granted Petitioners’ motion to quash the subpoenas because the government did not meet the first prong of the required records exception, to wit: that the purpose of the government’s inquiry must be essentially regulatory, rather than criminal.

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